2.6 Handling of refrigerant
The following information summarises the requirements and guidelines for handling the refrigerant used in cooling units. For further information, see the F-gas
Regulations (EU/517/2014) and the Refrigerant Regulations (SFS 2016:1128).
The purpose of the regulations is to contribute to achieving EU goals for reduced
climate impact in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol.
Operator responsibilities
Generally speaking, the unit operator must:
• Minimise and prevent leakage
• Take corrective action to remedy any leakage that arises
• Ensure that the service and repair of the refrigerant circuit is carried out by a
certified refrigeration technician
• Ensure that refrigerant is handled in an environmentally secure manner and
in accordance with national regulations.
By operator, we refer to the European Parliament’s definition: “...the natural or
legal person exercising actual power over the technical functioning of the equipment and systems...”.
The levels for the various actions to be taken for a system are calculated using
carbon dioxide equivalents, CO₂ e(ton). This figure is calculated by multiplying
the refrigerant’s GWP value (Global Warming Potential) by the filling amount in
kilos. GWP for R410a is 2088. A filling amount of 5.0 kg R410a therefore corresponds to
(5.0×2088)/1000 = 10.44 CO₂ e(tons). The unit is marked with refrigerant quantity and carbon dioxide equivalent.
Leakage inspection and registration
The following applies for single-units with 5 CO₂ e(tons) refrigerant content or
more per circuit:
• Leakage inspections must be carried out by a certified refrigeration technician:
– on installation/commissioning – periodically at least once every 12 months,
i.e. maximum 12 months between inspections
– within one month after any work is performed (e.g. sealing a leak, replacing
a component).
• The operator must record events, such as the volume and type of refrigerant
topped up, refrigerant recovered, results of inspections and work done, person and company who carried out service and maintenance.
If the total refrigerant content is below 5 CO₂ e (tonnes), no periodic leak detection or record keeping is needed, but the requirement for leak inspection during
installation does apply.
If the total refrigerant content of the ventilation system exceeds 14 CO₂ e(tons),
the result of the inspections (inspection report) must be sent to the regulatory
authorities and be in their possession no later than 31 March of the following
year. For a unit that will contain 14 CO₂e(tons) or more, the intended operator
must inform the supervisory authority of the installation well in advance.